The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 provides over $1.9 trillion in additional federal assistance for COVID-19 relief and response efforts.
For state and local governments, there are several provisions built in including $350 billion in direct aid for recovery initiatives such as housing assistance, small business credits, provision of government services, water and sewer infrastructure improvements and to support impacted industries like tourism. An additional $10 billion is earmarked for Coronavirus Capital Projects to “...carry out critical capital projects directly enabling work, education and health monitoring including remote options, in response to the public health emergency with respect to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)”.
How Spatial Data Logic Can Help
Spatial Data Logic offers reliable and innovative solutions to help local governments modernize while tackling the lingering challenges of the pandemic. Our software includes a variety of tools that increase operational efficiency, help disseminate information to the public and offer municipal services online to keep your staff and community members safe.
- Remote Access – As the need for remote access grows, SDL Hosting enables your staff to work efficiently from any location. Our hosting services eliminate the need to have and maintain in-house servers by moving the SDL Desktop into our Google Cloud environment.
- Municipal Websites –With many municipal buildings closed to the public, websites play a critical role in disseminating timely town and COVID-19 information. Municipal websites can also be used to offer online services to the public, providing a simple way to maintain cash flow and keep critical processes in motion. Spatial Data Logic’s sites deliver a unique web experience where visitors can access personalized information and take actions such as applying for permits, requesting inspections, filing complaints and more.
- Citizen Services – By enabling citizen platforms, you can provide the public with a safe and convenient way to engage online. SDL offers 3 different platforms where residents, businesses and community members can access public information, submit requests and check the status of their requests online.
- SDL Forms – With SDL’s form builder, municipalities can create simple, streamlined forms to collect information and respond to the public health emergency. These digital forms are integrated with SDL’s citizen platforms and municipal software meaning they can be completed online and will automatically feed back into your town’s software for processing.
- Remote Inspections – Our remote inspection tool offers a safe and friction-free way for departments to complete video inspections from a web-browser. The inspector has full control over the process including verbal directives, visual cues and the ability to document their findings with time-stamped photos and notes. The inspector also can access plans, applications, checklists, statutes, and other helpful documentation during the inspection.
Additional Considerations
- $350 Billion in aid will be distributed across states, cities, tribal governments, and U.S. territories. The federal government has specific formulas for both state and local governments that will determine the amounts allocated.
- $10 Billion will be allocated to states, cities, tribal governments, and U.S. territories for critical “Coronavirus Capital Projects”. Each state will receive a minimum of $100 million. The remaining funds will be allocated by the Secretary based on factors such as population, rural representation, and household income.
- Before utilizing these resources it is important to understand the reporting and qualification requirements.
To access the American Rescue Act of 2021 in its entirety, visit: https://rules.house.gov/sites/democrats.rules.house.gov/files/BILLS-117HR1319EAS.pdf